Cooling means for elevator bearing shafts



1952 s. M. MERCIER COOLING MEANS FOR ELEVATOR BEARING SHAFTS 2 SHEET}S-SHEET 1 Original Filed Sept. 1, 1943 amen/1101} STANLEY M. MERGER,

1952 s. M. MERCIER COOLING MEANS FOR ELEVATOR BEARING SHAFTS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Original Filed Sept. 1, 1943 I J" N 3 2 w u m 3 TANLEY4 M. Mavecuzl,

Patented Aug. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES A" E'NT OFFICE.

, GOOLIN G MEANS FOR ELEVATOR BEARING SHAFTS of Ohio ()rig'inalapplication September 1, 1943, Serial No.

Divided and this application Septemher '24, 1949, Serial No. 117,702

4 Claims.

My inventionrelates' to a head shaft and hearing assembly for a high "temperature elevator, and an object of the invention is to provide improved means for temperature-conditioning (-cooling) the shaft adjacent the bearing.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of an elevator or conveyer incorporating the ieatures of 5 invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the headpor-tioniof the conveyer shown in Fig. 1, the view [being taken on line 2- -2 thereof; and h Fig. 3 is a transverse, fragmentary sectional View showing one end of the head shaft, bearin and head sprocket and associated mechanism of the elevator or conveyer.

This application is a division of my co pendin application, Serial No. 500,799, 'filed September 1, 1943, now Patent 'No. 2,491,899,5dated December 20, 1949,-entitled Elevator. I

The conveyer or elevator illustrated as a whole in Fig. 1 of the drawings comprises a vertical or upwardly extending tower or main frame 20 which is generally rectangular in cross section and at each of the four corners includesa vertical or upright structural member, such as a channel 2|. Each of the channels :2I in the finally assembled condition of the main frame-Moonstitutes a continuous upright member which extends from the foot or bottom of the ma'in frame 29 to the top thereof. At their bottoms, the channels 21 are provided with feet? 22 preferably rigidly attached'tothe' base members w'hich may be, for example, mounted 'onia -poured-concrete base sufficiently sunk-in the ground to provide a firm foundation. At their tops the channel members 2| are rig-idly connectedtogether by side I-beams' 23 and cross channels 24.9.11 of said structural members-21 23 and' 24 being rigidly connected together. Along thesides, each of the two front and rear channel'members 2l1are connected by one-or more diagonal braces 25 as wellas horizontalangle meniberszZS. Spaced moment members 2'! connect the front and :rear

pairs of channels 21.

2 indicated diagrammatically in Fig. l. Extending between the two chain elements 33 and carried thereby .isa plurality of material receiving buckets, not shown, that are rigidly attached adjacent their sides to the, inner side bars of the chainstt by appropriate brackets.

At the foot or bottom of the toweror main frame .20 there is a foot shaft 31 which is part of a foot shaft assembly 538 which includes a pair of spaced wheels 39 that receive and carry the two endless chain elements 33 of the conveyor apparatus. Foot shaft assembly -38 is mounted for floating guided vertical movement and is carried by abox-like frame "3 1 with whichthere is associated a counter-balancing mechanism 35 for counter-balancing weight of the box-like frame and shaft assembly.

Supported by the main frame 2 63 and generally within the structural members thereof is a totally enclosing :casing or housing All which includes as its three principal parts a head-sectionsfll, a foot section 42 and a plurality of intermediate sections .43. .Allofthese sections are preferably formed at least in part of insulating material so that the enclosing housing or casing is insulated. Also the head section 41 is provided with a discharge ..chute or spout 414 by which the material is discharged, from the conveyer.

The foot part or section :42 of the housing or casing l'ilincludes afeed'chute 45 by which hot clay or other material .to be eleyated'is delivered preferably directly intosthe buckets at the bottom of the feed run of theconveyormechanism. The foot section or part '42:also includes structure providing gas tight dustandheatseals for the foot shaft 31 whichismounted forsubstantially free or floating vertical movement through a limited range so as'to compensate for changes in the lengthsof the .chain elements 3.3, particularly under the influenceof temperature changes.

Attention is nowdirected to mechanism that is included in the head section of the conveyer and shown in Figs. 1. and..2..of the drawing gReferring thereto it .will she noted that one :end of the head shaft :39 is provided with a drive sprocket 4'6 which is keyed to the shaft 38. ,At its other end the shaft this provided with a traction wheel withwhicha mechanically operated brake device 48 (Fig. 1') :cooperates. The drive sprocket it is driven from .an appropriate motor and speed reducer idtithrough. an appropriate chain and sprocket or equivalent drive :1513.

The'motor and speed reducing mechanism as. is

mounted on a platform formed on reamzardly extending portions of the I-Ebeams x213;

Attention is now directed particularly to Fig. 3 f the drawings which illustrates one end of the head sprocket assembly 3I, one of the bearing boxes 29, and certain associated apparatus, it being understood that the structure is duplicated on the other side of the elevator.

Mounted in spaced relation on the head shaft 39 are the head or drive sprockets 32, there being one for each of the chains 33, as previously pointed out, said sprockets 32 preferably being of similar construction. Each sprocket 32 includes a plate steel center ring 98 preferably keyed and weldedto the shaft 39 and forming a hub. The additional diameter of the wheel 32 is formed by a pair of concentric rings 99 and I99, the firstbeing shrunk onto the center ring or hub 98 and the second being in turn shrunk onto the ring 99. In building up this wheel, the ring 99 is heated to a high temperature so that it can be forced or slipped onto the ring 98 and when it cools to atmospheric temperature it will be under tension. Thereafter, the edges of the rings 98 and 99 are preferably welded together by welds I9I which may be either continuous or at spaced intervals along the periphery thereof. In a similar manner the ring I99 is shrunk on the ring 99 and attached thereto by welds I92 similar to the welds I9I. The ring I99 is also under tension at atmospheric temperature.

As a consequence of the above structure, the wheel 32 can expand or contract with variations in temperature without causing damage thereto and at the same time the structure is such that the parts are held together both by friction and by welded connections. Because shaft 39 is cooled, as hereinafter described, the temperature of the wheel rim, which frequently reaches 1009 degrees F., will be much higher than the shaft temperature during operation of the conveyer.

Mounted on the outer periphery of the ring 3 I99 is a plurality of removable sprocket teeth I93 and the bottom or root of each tooth I93 is provided with an arcuate groove which receives the periphery of the ring I99, said root of tooth I93 being bifurcated so that a portion or part thereof extends on each side of the ring I99. The final attachment between each tooth I93 and the ring I99 is by virtue of a pair of pins I94 which porting bearings, the principal portion of said sprocket 32, including the rings 98 and 99 and part of the ring I99 as well as the major portion of the shaft 39 within the housing 49, is embedded in a heavy drum I95 of insulating material which is preferably made up of sections which are split plane of severance parallel to the axis of shaft 39.

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings,

the end of the drum I is closely positioned with respect to the insulating material lining I9'I of the head section II of casing 49. The opposite ends of head shaft 39 extend through close fitting openings in the side Walls of the head section 4| and a stuffing box I98 is provided between each of said side walls and said shaft 39 which acts as a dirt and heat seal. A support for opposite ends of the shaft 39 is provided by a pair of self aligning bearings, one of which is seen at I99. Said bearing I99 is preferably babbitt or bronze lined and is only semi-cylindrical in shape and supports the bottom portion of the shaft 39, since the load on the shaft 39 is always in a downward direction. The bearing I99 is enclosed and protected by the bearing box 29 which provides a lubrication well. Oil drip rings II9 are provided on shaft 39.

It is important in elevators or conveyers of the type illustrated that the temperature of the wheel shafts be controlled or conditioned because in spite of all of the insulation provided on the shaft assemblies the shafts will become quite hot unless they are properly cooled. It is because of the cooling of the shaft 39 and the consequent large temperature differential between it and the rim of sprocket wheel 32 that the above described special construction of said sprocket wheel 32 is required. To control its temperature the shaft is provided with an axial bore I2I whereby it is formed as a hollow shaft. It will be understood that the cooling mechanismis duplicated at each end of the shaft 39. Extending into the bore I2I is a pipe I22, the outer periphery of which is spaced from the inner periphery of the bore I2I. At its outer'end the pipe I22 is provided with a fitting I23 which acts in the nature of a bearing. The fitting I23 is so constructed that a feed water-elbow I24 connected thereto, will be effectively connected to the interior of the pipe I22 and a water discharge elbow I25 is effectively connected to a' passageway formed between the exterior of the pipe I22 and the cylindrical surface provided by the bore I2I. The packing between the fitting I23 which is stationary and the rotating shaft 39 is provided by packing ring I26 and associated packing gland I21 which is attached by screws to the end of the shaft 39. The fitting I23 is mounted on a stationary bracket I28 which; may be connected to any desired closely associated portion of the main frame 29.

Adjacent its inner or right hand end, as viewed in Fig. 3, the pipe I22 is provided with radial holes I29 so as to provide communication between the feed'and return paths for the cooling water or other temperature controlling fluid or medium. The inner end of the pipe I22 is provided with a rigidly attached plug I39 which is supported in the end of a filler and connecting cylindrical rod I3I which extends through the central portion of the shaft 39 and supports the innerends of the pipes I22 associated with opposite ends of said shaft 39. It may be mentioned that axial movementof the pipes I22 is prevented since the fittings I23 to which said pipes in opposite ends of the shaft 39 are screw-threaded, are held by the above mentioned stationary bracketsJZB. Filler rod I3I is slightly smaller-in diameter than the bore I2I and is pinned at'its center to the shaft 39 for rotationtherewith.

To provide a thorough scouring turbulent flow of water in its returnpath' from the holes I29 to the discharge elbow' I25, I provide wire helix I32 which is preferably rigidly attached to the what is known as turbule'ntfiow, during which it will scour 'theinternal surface of the adjacent portion of the shaft 30 provided by the bore *I2I, ultimately flowing through the fitting I23. and the discharge elbow I25. Thi's'elongated helical path together with the scouring action willinsure proper cooling of the shaft 30 and through it the bearing l'flllso'as to prevent burning out of said bearing and undue heating of the lubricating oil for it, which is within the bearing box 29.

In the operation of the conveyor or elevator hot material, such as clay or fullers earth, is fed to the feed chute 45 and'by it directed into the buckets of the conveyor mechanism as they travel upwardly from the foot shaft assembly 38 along their working or elevating run. As the buckets travel over the head shaft 3| they discharge into the discharge'chute 44 and the material flows therethroughand is discharged from the elevator at the top thereof. Provision has been made for free vertical counter-balanced movement of the foot shaft, which movement may be caused by difierences in temperature within the casing or housing 40. Furthermore, the head sprocket wheels for the two strands of chain 33 have been especially constructed to take care of differences in temperature adjacent the outer rims thereof as compared with the hubs or portions thereof attached to the shaft 30.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have provided an improved thermal compensating sprocket assembly and Wheel therefor wherein provision is made for an extreme temperature differential between the outer rim of the wheel and the cooled hub portion thereof which may be cooled, for example, through an internally cooled supporting shaft.

The structure of the wheel 32 including the tooth I03 is disclosed and claimed in my parent application above identified.

The cooling mechanism is shown as cooling a high temperature shaft. Obviously, within certain aspects of my invention the same mechanism might conduct warm or hot water, or other cooling medium, to condition the temperature of a shaft by heating a normally cold one.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and applicant therefore wishes not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of the invention, what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A. wheel, shaft, and bearing assembly the wheels of which are adapted to carry directly hot chain elements of a conveyer and the bearings of which are adapted to operate at relatively low temperatures and are protected against conducted heat, the assembly including a pair of spaced wheels having relatively thin peripheral portions adapted to receive and carry the hot chain elements, a shaft carrying said spaced 6 wheelsyhaving a bearingreceivi-ng person ad'- jaee'nteach -of its endsand-a bore therein extending substantially centrally through each of said bearing receivingportion's,bearing means receiving each of-said -bear'ing receivingportio'ns of said shaft, insulation embedding said shaft between the bearing receiving portions thereof and embedding substantially completely said spa'ced'wheels with the relatively thin peripheral portions "only'of the latter projecting through said embedding insulation forreceiving and carrying the hot. chain elements, said insulation resisting the transfer of heat tosaid "wheels and shaft thereby protecting said bearings f rom heat, shaft coolingmea'ns -cooperatingwith said insulationto .protectsaid' bearings from conducted heat including a pipe extending axially into each end of said bored shaft and within the bearing portions and spaced from the walls thereof for providing feed and return paths for-cooling fluid, and means surrounding said pipes restricting thesi'ze 'and'making the outer of saidpaths tortuous whereby'a scouring turbulent flow of cooling fluid incontact with said shaft within said bearing areas occurs thereby removing heat conducted thereto through said spaced wheels and-insulation.

2. A wheel, shaft, and bearing assembly the wheels of which are adapted to carry directly chain-elements of aconveyer andfthebearings of which are adaptedto operate at relatively low temperatures and are protected against conducted heat, the assembly including a pair of spaced wheels having relatively thin peripheral portions adapted to receive and carry the chain elements, a shaft carrying said spaced wheels having a bearing eceiving portion adjacent each of its ends and a bore therein extending substantially centrally through each of said bearing receiving portions, bearing means receiving each of said bearing receiving portions of said shaft, insulation embedding said shaft between the bearing receiving portions thereof and embedding substantially completely said spaced wheels, the relatively thin peripheral portions only of the latter projecting through said embedding insulation for receiving and carrying the chain elements, said insulation resisting the transfer of heat to said wheels and shaft thereby protecting said bearings from heat, shaft cooling means cooperating with said insulation to protect said bearings from conducted heat including a pipe extending axially into each end of said bored shaft and within the bearing portions and cooperating with the walls of the latter to provide feed and return paths for cooling fluid whereby cooling fluid flowing in said paths and in contact with the bore walls removes heat conducted thereto through said spaced wheels and embedding insulation.

3. A wheel, shaft, and bearing assembly the wheels and shaft of which-are adapted to operate within a relatively hot area and the bearings of which are adapted to operate in a relatively cool area and are protected from heat conducted through said wheels and shaft from said hot area, said assembly including a pair of spaced wheels having relatively thin peripheral portions adapted to be exposed to heat in said hot area, a shaft carrying said spaced wheels including internally bored bearing receiving portions, one disposed outwardly of each of said wheels, hearing means carrying said bearing receiving portions of said shaft, insulation carried by said shaft between said bearing receiving portions and substantially completely embedding said shaft and said spaced wheels except for the exposed thin peripheral portions thereof, said insulation resisting the transfer of heat to the body of said wheels and shaft thereby protecting said bearings from heat, and shaft cooling means cooperating with said insulation to protect said bearings from conducted heat including means cooperating with the walls of said bored bearing receiving portions to provide feed and return paths for cooling fluid whereby cooling fluid flowing in said paths and in contact with the bore walls removes heat conducted to the bearing receiving portions of said shaft, the insulation resisting the transfer of heat to the bodies of the wheels and shaft and the cooling means removing heat from th shaft conducted thereto from the exposed peripheries of the wheels and the heat which penetrates the shaft through the insulation.

4. 'A wheel, shaft, and bearing assembly the wheels and shaft of which are adapted to operate within a relatively hot area and the bearings of which are adapted to operate in a relatively cool area and are protected from heat conducted through said wheels and shaft from said hot area, said assembly including a pair of spaced wheels having relatively thin peripheral portions adapted to be exposed to heat in said hot area, a shaft carrying said spaced wheels including'bearing receiving portions, one disposed outwardly of each of said wheels, bearing means 8 carrying said bearing receiving portions of said shaft, insulation carried by said shaft between said bearing receiving portions and substantially completely embedding said shaft and said spaced wheels except for the exposed thin peripheral portions thereof, said insulation resisting the transfer of heat to the body of said wheels and shaft thereby protecting said bearings from heat, and bearing cooling means cooperating with said insulation to protect said bearings from conducted heat including means conveying cooling fluid -adjacentthe bearing receiving portions of said shaft for extracting therefrom heat conducted to the bearing receiving portions of said shaft, the insulation resisting the transfer of heat to the bodies of the wheels and shaft and the cooling means removing heat from the shaft conducted thereto from the exposed peripheries of the wheels, and the heatwhich penetrates the shaft through the insulation.

STANLEY M. MERCIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Beers Dec. 29, 1936 

